Commissioners to discuss downtown parking

June 1, 2009

By Argen Duncan: PNT senior writer

Roosevelt county commissioners are set to discuss the issue of parking spaces during a regular meeting at 9 a.m. today in the county courthouse.

Several business owners have complained about the recently completed county courthouse remodel shifting parking spots along the Second Street side of parking lot to other areas of the lot that surrounds the courthouse.

At the last commission meeting, they asked the commissioners for help getting spaces back on the Second Street side of the building.

“My opinion is that the parking lot is more important than landscaping right now,” said Commissioner Jake Lopez.

Lopez intends to push for getting more parking, although he said “we’ll see what happens” after the discussion.

Commissioner Gene Creighton said he didn’t see how taxpayer dollars could pay for something that was already finished, but the commission would discuss it. He also said he was unsure of where the project could get money.

“That was so long in the process, everybody should have had their input in by the time it was done,” Creighton said.

He also thought the current arrangement could work if it had a chance.

Commissioner Bill Cathey said he was undecided, and Commission Chairman David Sanders said whatever the other commissioners wanted was fine with him.

Commissioner Paul Grider was unavailable for comment.

The agenda also includes:

• appointment of an Eastern Plains Council of Governments representative and alternate

• a vote on a mutual aid agreement between Roosevelt and Quay counties

• a vote on a grant agreement for the sheriff’s department for the 100 Days and Nights of Summer state DWI and traffic law enforcement campaign.